To Vote “YES” or Not To Vote “YES”, That is The Question

There is a battle indeed at the university today, a battle between two simple yet decisive answers – a Yes or a NO. This pertains to the raging issue of the “SR Referendum” which in fact caused a wave of confusion on the part of the students in general and a bunch of discussions and talks about it by some student political parties and organizations (who would not recall that Convocation in Baker?).

In brief, here’s the story.
(Disclaimer first pala muna: all the things that would follow were derived from the wall news, circulars, fliers, and other posted materials around the campus which I painstakingly read in order to understand the issue. Blame my head if any inaccuracies arise from this post.) The new UP Charter imperils (so they say) the Office of the Student Regent. And the widely-disseminated info is that there was no official student representative in the highest policy-making body of the UP System since the university’s establishment, not until 1986 I think. And given the seemingly subtle moves to commercialize and privatize (so they say) the country’s premier university, then the existence of the Student Regent (SR) in the Board of Regents (BOR) should be preserved and maintained in order for the largest sector of the university (the students) to have a voice in any decisions that would concern the fate of the university.
The “referendum” itself pertains to the Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection referendum. Voting a YES would in essence maintain the status quo (its usual ins and outs) in the selection of the Student Regent, while voting for a No entails some sort of revision in the way the Student Regent is selected. It was on this context that some groups in the university are no having a battle of words.
A political party in UPLB is advocating for the NO Vote for the reason that they want to make some amendments in the way the Student Regent is selected. They cited a number of things which I would not mention here for brevity’s sake but the other groups such as the Student Council in particular, are disagreeing in this thing as they see it as quite “divisive to the students”. It’s a mind-boggling thing, unless one chooses to spare time to think about this issue.
Well, no matter where their criticisms for each other take them, I personally have my decision now on the issue. I will vote for a NO.
I actually said this thing to a member of Perspective (our university’s official newspaper) and she was quite against it. Well, kanya-kanya tayong decision, hehe.
For me, what those guys put forward as necessary amendments is good anyway. Pretty good, I think so because it gives more prestige in the selection of the SR. They may seem a little technical in a way but the content of what they want are really helpful. Now, I would admit that if the NO votes win, well, the story would be quite extended. UP Students who are quite familiar with student-related stuff would definite remember the General Assembly of Student Councils which is associated wit the SR selection.
And so I would not fuss about it if the students are divided between these two votes. If ever OSR is abolished (too gross and too soon), we could always rally it out and fight for it. We are a bunch of rally-oriented students anyway. So why would worry about changes? UP students ought to be used to changes, constant changes, I think.
Tss, whatever, hehe.

On CRE-8-TV-Tee

Found this thing from a blog I’ve been following. And I chanced upon it again, sitting silently on my computer desktop. So I decided to put it up here. Hope you find it insightful!

Of Harrowing Night and Choreography

[Looking back now, it has been really a release getting over that ‘church’ thing. It’s been a year and still no regrets. Now I can freely slam on the guitars.]
I know I should not make so much fuss about what we did last week but I felt it was a fulfilling thing and so, worthy of making some note of it here.
We auditioned for a band competition and that fateful Thursday night was quite harrowing. Although now, I don’t have bad feelings anymore for my buddies in the band, I think it made me realize that no matter how well you prepared for a thing, some mishaps may happen along the way.
We weren’t able to play on Thursday night but Friday became the night – and I mean the night. Rain did not stop us from pushing through now. The other guys in the band were quite geared up this time. And p-i-c was ever present, thanks! (I swear it could have been a very bad performance if we pushed through for that Thursday audition.)
As for me, I did achieve that first ‘level’ of freedom of expression in musical aspects. I have taught myself not to dance anymore in its strictest sense but I think I saw myself ‘dancing’ with our music. And it made that (+/-) 20-minute performance really worthwhile.
(The open fields on February would be the next stop.)

Pre-Valentine Sentiments

No point getting so e-motional in here. But I don’t think it’s silly to say something about what I am feeling towards certain events of the past months (or is it days?)

I am fairly aware of the fact that no one’s perfect in the first place. That’s why I personally scold myself (if there’s such a thing) whenever I feel so so so bad about things that go quite out of hand.
It’s that darn love affair of course. Heck yeah, been quite to a number, all of which has their own up’s and down’s. But, you know, I’m just getting quite disappointed to myself for feeling that I am always the one who screw things up.
I’ve been thinking that now that I am starting to set myself into a new direction, all things would change. Well, just like in physics, all goes well only in theory. And I hate to admit it, but the same thing applies to relationships…well, I prefer to call them partnerships.
It’s irrelevant to say that I’ve been far mature than them because I know for myself that I have acted quite stupidly in some point in time. But, seeing things now today, I just hope that I won’t get stuck understanding the other side. I wish she would attend to me as well. That’s quite child-like I’d say. But I am fairly confident of one thing – that partnerships or relationships are always governed by the same old of mechanism of give-and-take.
(Sighs. I want some smoke..)

Oba-Oba-Oba-Ma! (tune of Copacabana)

I won’t talk much about the US of A here, ‘cause I’d rather discuss Philippine affairs. But, nevertheless, I have a hope for the new leadership of the ‘mighty’ US –

A radical yet wise change in the way the country would deal with terrorism, perhaps specifically taking into account (this time) both the good and bad consequences of their actions (recall the war-torn country of Iraq). I have always felt that they have been a nation in panic and paranoia since September 11.

This sounds quite naïve, but I do hope I’ve sent my message right.

Photo credit: barack-obama.tv

Intelligent, huh?

I was rummaging through my things again the other day when an old newspaper clipping (I used to collect stuff during that sem when I was underload) fell out of I don’t know where. Well, I naturally looked on it and discovered that it was a part of a Sunday issue of Inq.

The article in the “Discover” column attracted my attention. It was about the usual tendency of people, mostly students, to use longer synonyms, edit lay-outs, etc., to meet the requirements of some (if not most) of our writing ‘stuff’ in schools. A study described there busted this trick because making our papers appear superior and intelligent-‘sounding’, to a certain extent, diminishes their quality. (If you have done such a thing or any experience about it, do share it here!)
In a way, I am guilty of this thing because I used to have that thinking that getting pretty technical would get me somewhere, perhaps get the attention of some editors out there, hehe. Nevertheless, I have gotten over this bad habit and I’m always on guard now if I am being way beyond comprehensibility.
The article ended with an advise when wiring something – just state the facts as straight-to-the-point as possible. Although there are some limitations, this thing is far better than getting caught in a jargon. (Peace!)

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 3, 2005. Science/Health. Writing intelligently in “Discover” by Massie Santos Ballon, B3.

PRANSIS TRAVELS Series

Boy, don’t I love making series? (Laughs).
Although I haven’t really gotten into many parts of the Philippines, I feel there’s nothing wrong in sharing my adventures in some of the beautiful places in the Philippines. In a way, I think it is a form of taking pride in what our country has and also a way of sharing a part of our country to other people (as I do not ignore the fact the non-Filipinos could possibly read about them).
And so that’s it. Every now and then I’d put up a short narrative of my adventures to this or that place (whether with friends or “ex’s” or partner or whoever).

San Pablo City CoCo Fest In Black and White

As I am writing this stuff right now, programs are already being held at the San Pablo City Plaza to kick off the 2009 San Pablo City Coco Festival.

Yeah, along with this festivity, for sure, are the coming of tourists; artists (whether in music or TV personalities); the flow of beer (the infamous beer plaza); all night sound trips and food; lots of fireworks; and lung fireworks, that is, cigarettes (and other ‘smokes’). It is indeed a good way of boosting our city’s tourism, if one would look at it. I myself have taken part in the celebrations since I was little kid (doing those silly dances at the patio, eeww.)

But as I make my usual evening stroll on our city’s streets, I could not help but notice the growing numbers of groups taking part in the festival…in their own ways.

Vagrants decorate the dark street corners. “NPAs” (obviously vendors themselves of varied products and stuff) occupy business-establishment parking lots where they cook their rice and most likely their dinner. Side-street vendors occupy most of the length of the streets leading to the most-frequented places. All of them, I suppose, are counting on the coming fest to earn a little something for themselves…

I would not move other individuals to sympathize with these people. Compassion, after all, is a personal conviction. But I just hope that the city government can do something about it, to clean up the streets of guys who seem to me are really out-of-place – out in the cold, cemented portions of the city proper; sleeping and letting their bodies thin out.

I can see the enthusiasm and anticipation of the San Pableños in seeing the plaza being decorated for the coming events. Well I do hope that we all be equally avid in making the city devoid of disappointing evening sights.

*Photo Credit: (c) manilastandardtoday.com